Explosive destructor pistol



April 12, 1966 J. HOMZA E EXPLOSIVE DESTRUCTOR PISTOL 5 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Sept. 50, 1963 INVENTOR.

John Homza By Charles A. Lew/s W ATTORNEY.

April 12, 1966 J, HOMZA ET AL 3,245,347

EXPLOSIVE DESTRUGTOR PISTOL Filed Sept. 30, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 55INVENTOR lo/m Homza FIG 6 BY Char/es A. Lew/s ATTORNEY. mfmesm.

EXPLOSIVE DESTRUCTOR PISTOL Aprifi 12, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept.30, 1963 FIG, 4

. 5a 57, 2v J 66 52 59 5 65 k z l f /j I I/A-l/VENTOR, .10 n omza F I 5By Charles A. Lewis M ATTORNEY.

6%,, AGENT.

United States Patent Ofifice 3,245,347 Patented Apr. 12, 1966 3,245,347EXPLGSIVE DESTRUCTOR PISTOL John Homza, Lanham, and Charles A. Lewis,Silver Spring, Md, assignors to the United States of America asrepresented by the Secretary of the Navy Filed Sept. 30, 1963, Ser. No.312,786 Claims. (Cl. 102-16) The invention described herein may bemanufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States ofAmerica for governmental purposes without the payment of any royaltiesthereon or therefor.

The present invention relates generally to a fuzing device for armingand firing an exposive charge and more particularly to a new andimproved mechanism capable of being operable by the application ofhydrostatic pressure for moving a delay type detonator into operativerelation with an exposive charge associated therewith for detonating theexposive charge a predetermined period of time after it is released inprescribed water depths.

Heretofore, in providing for delayed arming in destructor or depthchanges for use in mine clearance, it has been the practice toincorporate Within the charge case itself both mechanical timing units,such as spring wound clock mechanisms, and independent electrical powersupply means for firing the detonator. Although such devices have servedthe purpose, the components required to perform the fuzing functionstherein have been relatively complex and expensive, and in order tosterilize the charge it has been necessary to positively remove and/ orshort out the independent electrical power supply.

The general purpose of this invention is to provide an exposive chargepistol which embraces all the advantages of similarly employed explosivecharge pistols and possesses none of the aforedescribed disadvantages.T0 attain this, the present invention contemplates the use of a new andimproved explosive :destructor piston having comparatively fewcomponents, none of which are complex in nature, so incorporated as tobe actuated by hydrostatic pressure to align the elements of anexplosive train.

The piston of the present invention is installed in the charge casewhich is towed underwater from a surface vehicle Via an electrical towline and release mechanism. When the charge is over the target, therelease mechanism is actuated. At this point the arming mechanism isunlocked and the delay detonators are simultaneously initiated. Thecharge descends in the water and is detonated a predetermined period oftime later. The arming mechanism includes a piston, shutter and pin andis normally locked by a unique assembly of locking rods. When themechanism is unlocked, hydrostatic pressure drives the piston axially inthe pistol. A helical groove in the shutter and the pin protrudingradially from the piston convert this axial mot-ion to rotational motionof the shutter, .to which is attached a barrier containing twinexplosive leads. On arming, these leads explosively align the train. Thedetonators initiate these leads which in turn initiate the booster andthe main charge. It can be seen, therefore, that the presently discloseddevice provides a means for arming and firing while being used todetonate an explosive charge used to destroy or render inoperable seabottom mines with an adequate level of safety.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a fuzing devicefor detonating an explosive charge which is relatively simple inconstruction and economical to produce, which has a positive armingaction and which does not depend on stored energy for firing.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improvedhydrostatically-operated means for arming and firing an explosive chargein time delayed relation.

A further object is to provide a new and improvedhydrostatically-operated safety device comprising a rotatable shuttercontaining explosive leads that are initially misaligned with adetonator and booster when in the unarmed position to prevent accidentalor premature firing, and means responsive to the application of apredetermined amount of hydrostatic pressure for rotating the shutter tothe armed position.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention willbecome apparent from the following detailed description of the inventionwhen considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in whichlike reference numerals designate like parts throughout the figuresthereof and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a preferred form of the explosivedestructor pistol in its loaded state, but in a disarmed position;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an end view of FIG. 1 showing the locking rods in their closedpositions;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal view of the release mechanism used with theexplosive destructor pistol;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a sectional cut-away showing the plunger of the releasemechanism out of position.

Referring now to the drawings for a more complete understanding of theinvention and more particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, there is shownthereon a housing 10 containing the explosive destructor pistol of thepresent invention, generally indicated by the numeral 11. The pistol isfurnished with an arming mechanism generally indicated by the numeral 12comprising a hollow piston-like member 13 reciprocably mounted withinthe housing, a shutter 14 and a pin 15. The piston 13 is provided with alongitudinally extending slot 16 on the inner peripheral surfacethereof, adapted to receive a pin 17 projecting outwardly from acylindrical member 18 upon which the piston is mounted. The cylindricalmember 18, which contains a striker assembly and a pair of delaydetonators 22, is mounted in radially spaced relation within the housing10 and is fixed thereto by means of screws 19 threaded into a flangedportion 21) of member 18. The mating pin 17 and slot 16 prevent relativerotation between piston 13 and cylinder 18, while permitting reciprocalmovement of the piston during the arming operation. O-rings 21 and 21aprovide a watertight seal between the piston and the housing.

Coil spring 23 is biased between the inner surface 24 of piston 13 and aflange 25 on collar 26. Collar 26 is freely positioned on cylinder 18,but normally is held fast against a circumferential flange 27 oncylinder 18 by the spring 23. Thereby, the coil spring 23 essentiallyacts between the flange 27 and surface 24 to maintain the piston 13 oncylinder 18 at one end thereof, adjacent the flanged portion 20.However, when the hydrostatic pressure in annular space 28, defined byhousing 10, cylinder 18 and closed end 29 of the piston, becomessufficiently great, piston 13 compresses spring 23 and moves axiallywithin the housing.

The shutter 14 is a tubular element having an outwardly extending flange30 that is mounted on cylinder 18 in overlapping relation with the openend 31 of piston 13. Pin 15, carried by piston 13 and projectinginwardly barrier taken along thereof, fits into a helical groove 32 inshutter 14, where-,

by axial movement of piston 13 causes pin 15 to slide in helical groove32 to rotate shutter 14 about bearing sleeve 33 and cylinder 18.Attached to the end of the shutter 14 by means of screws 34 threadedinto flange 30 is a barrier 35 containing twin explosive leads 36, shownin FIG. 2, which are not aligned with the detonators 22 in the unarmedposition thereby providing a safety device to prevent accidental orpremature firing. After the shutter 14 has been rotated the explosiveleads 36 align with the detonators 22 to complete the train to thebooster charge 37, the container of which threadedly engages housing It)at the end adjacent barrier 35. The dual firing lines insure detonationof the booster and main charge (not shown) in case one firing line failsto ignite.

Referring now to FIG. 3, there is shown therein the unique locking rodassembly which provides an additional safety device for the presentinvention. The assembly is made up of three rods 38, each beingconnected to piston 13 by a pivotal link 39 and a connecting arm 41. Thearms 41 pass through apertures 42 in housing 10 and are in threadedengagement with the closed end 29 of piston 13. As indicated, the rods38 are folded flush against surface 43 of housing 10 and held there bythe release mechanism presently to be described, further maintaining thearming mechanism 12 in its unarmed position.

The release mechanism for the explosive destructor pistol is shown inFIGS. 4 and and is generally indicated by the numeral 44. The mechanism44 is releasably attached to the pistol 11 in a manner to be describedwith tubular end portion 45 inserted into a central bore 46 in housingso that the surface 47 of release 44 rests flush against surface 43 ofhousing 10, holding locking rods 38 in their closed positions. Anelectrical tow line (not shown) is appropriately connected to release 44through an aperture in the end of cap 48.

Plunger 49 in release 44 is normally held in it rearward position byspring 51 acting against internal flange 52 in the release mechanism anda circular groove 53 in plunger 49. Stem 54 of plunger 49 includes ashoulder 55 having slanted surfaces 56 and 57 and flat surface 58slideably mounted in tubular end portion 45. As shown in FIG. 5, slantedsurface 56 of shoulder 55 is in contact with ball detents 59 which aremaintained within tube 45 by means of crimped sections 61, freelyrotatable in holes 62, prior to insertion of the release 44 into thepistol 11.

When the release is to be connected to the pistol, tubular end portionis inserted into bore 46. An explosive driver is then inserted intorelease 44 in place of block 63, forcing plunger 49 forward so that flatsurface 53 of shoulder 55 pushes balls 59 past crimped sections 61.Balls 59 then extend out of holes 62 in contacting relationship withslanted lateral surface 64 in bore 46 of housing 10, as shown in FIG. 6,locking the release to the pistol.

The release 44 is actuated by applying a signal through the electricaltow line in a known manner to initiate the explosive driver (not shown).This action compresses spring 51 and forces plunger 49 still furtherforward till spring clip 65 engages shoulder 66 of plunger 49,preventing the return of the plunger under the action of spring 51. Therapid forward movement of plunger 49 causes the reduced end portion 67thereof to hit striker assembly 40 to ignite the delayed actiondetonators 22 in cylinder 18. At the same time, balls 59 are permittedto recede entirely within holes 62 in contact with the rear slantedsurface 57 of shoulder 55, to detach the release mechanism from thepistol.

The explosive destructor pistol operates in the following manner. Theexplosive destructor pistol is installed in the main charge case and istowed underwater from a surface vehicle via an electrical tow line and arelease mechanism. When the charge is over the target a signal isapplied through the tow line initiating an explosive driver that causesa plunger 49 to hit striker 40 to in turn initiate delay detonators 22and simultaneously detach the release mechanism 44 from the pistol 11,permitting the main charge and the enclosed pistol to descend. As

the release is pulled away from the pistol, hydrostatic pressure forcespiston 13 to move axially within housing 10, drawing locking rods 38through apertures 42. The axial movement of piston 13 is converted intorotary motion of shutter 14 by means of pin 15 and helical groove 32 inthe shutter. The explosive leads 36 in barrier 35, which is fixed toshutter 14, are now aligned with the detonators 22 to provide a directfiring path to detonate booster 37, and subsequently the main charge.

It can be seen, therefore, that a delayed action arming device has beenprovided having mechanism actuated by hydrostatic pressure to align theelements of an explosive train and incorporating delay detonators andunique locking rods as safety features.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention arepossible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to beunderstood that within the scope of the appended claims the inventionmay be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for initiating a mine destructor comprising an elongatedhousing,

a booster charge of explosive mounted in and closing one end of saidhousing for detonating the main charge of said destructor,

a delay detonator means supported in said housing and located near saidbooster,

a barrier element rotatably mounted in said housing between said delaydetonator means and said booster,

explosive leads carried by said barrier element so disposed that saidleads are normally out of axial alignment with said delay detonatormeans and said booster thereby providing a safety means,

a spring-biased piston normally positioned adjacent to the other end ofsaid housing and movable axially therein in response to the applicationof hydrostatic pressure,

means operable upon movement of said piston for rotating said barrierelement for completing an ex plosive train between said delay detonatormeans and said booster,

means for locking said piston in its normal position with the explosivetrain interrupted,

impact means slidable within said housing for initiating said delaydetonator means,

and electroresponsive means for simultaneously releasing said lockingmeans and actuating said impact means.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the barrier element is carriedby a shutter and the means for rotating the barrier element comprises apin fixed to the piston and slidable in a helical groove in saidshutter, whereby the shutter and the barrier element afiixed thereto arerotated as the piston is moved axially by hydrostatic pressure.

3. A device according to claim 1 wherein said delay detonator means issupported within a cylinder centrally mounted in said housing inradially spaced relation therewith and said piston is an element havinga central bore therein for receiving said cylinder,

said piston having an internal annular groove and an external annulargrove,

and O-ring sealing means in said grooves for maintaining said piston ina slidable, sealed relationship with said housing and said cylinder.

4. A device according to claim 1 wherein said other end of said housinghas provided therein a plurality of apertures,

and said locking means for said piston comprises a cor respondingplurality of arms attached to said piston and extending through saidapertures, and rod members pivotally linked to the free ends of saidarms adapted to lie flush against the flat outer surface of said otherend of said housing.

5. A device according to claim 3 wherein said piston 5 6 is a hollowelement open at one end and closed at the References Cited by theExaminer other end, said closed end having a bore the-rein for re-UNITED STATES PATENTS celvlflgsalfl cyhnderi 2,877,708 3/1959 Rey 102 27said cyhnder having a flange on the outer peripheral 6 2994272 8/1961Saunderson X surface th r 3,048,111 8/1962 Baker et a1. 10216 X and saidpiston-biasing spring being a coil spring 3,162,127 12/1964 Breslow eta1. 102-27 X compressed between the internal surface of said closed endof said piston and said flange on said BENJAMIN BORCHELT Pnmm'y Exammw'cylinder. V. R. PENDEGRASS, Assistant Examiner.

1. A DEVICE FOR INTITATING A MINE DESTRUCTOR COMPRISING AN ELONGATEDHOUSING, A BOOSTER CHARGE OF EXPLOSIVE MOUNTED IN AND CLOSING ONE END OFSAID HOUSING FOR DETONATING THE MAIN CHARGE OF SAID DESTRUCTOR, A DELAYDETONATOR MEANS SUPPORTED IN SAID HOUSING AND LOCATED NEAR SAID BOOSTER,A BARRIER ELEMENT ROTATABLY MOUNTED IN SAID HOUSING BETWEEN SAID DELAYDETONATOR MEANS AND SAID BOOSTER, EXPLOSIVE LEADS CARRIED BY SAIDBARRIER ELEMENT SO DISPOSED THAT SAID LEADS ARE NORMALLY OUT OF AXIALALIGNMENT WITH SAID DELAY DETONATORR MEANS AND SAID BOOSTER THEREBYPROVIDING A SAFETY MEANS, A SPRING-BIASED PISTON NORMALLY POSITIONEDADJACENT TO THE OTHER END OF SAID HOUSING AND MOVABLE AXIALLY THEREIN INRESPONSE TO THE APPLICATION OF HYDROSTATIC PRESSURE, MEANS OPERABLE UPONMOVEMENT OF SAID PISTON FOR ROTATING SAID BARRIER ELEMENT FOR COMPLETINGAN EXPLOSIVE TRAIN BETWEEN SAID DELAY DETONATOR MEANS AND SAID BOOSTER,MEANS FOR LOCKING SAID PISTON IN ITS NORMAL POSITION WITH THE EXPLOSIVETRAIN INTERRUPTED, IMPACT MEANS SLIDABLE WITHIN SAID HOUSING FORINITIATING SAID DELAY DETONATOR MEANS, AND ELECTROESPONSIVE MEANS FORSIMULTANEOUSLY RELEASING SAID LOCKING MEANS AND ACTUATING SAID IMPACTMEANS.